Super Absorbent Polymer Market Overview

Global Super Absorbent Polymer Market was valued at $6,174 million in 2015 and is expected to garner $8,551 million by 2022, registering a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period 2016 - 2022. Super absorbent polymers are materials with superlative absorbing power, primarily used in disposable personal care products. They may be synthetic or natural, based on the ingredients of their composition. Apart from personal care products, other applications of Super absorbent polymer include healthcare, agriculture & horticulture and others, in which others consist of automotive, construction, packaging, entertainment, industrial water, and more. Furthermore, personal care, healthcare, and agriculture & horticulture applications can be grouped into their constituent subcategories in terms of using the polymer. Super absorbent polymers are available as different types in market among which sodium polyacrylamide of synthetic group and polysaccharides of natural group are highly adopted.

Rise in adult population of developed nations of North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific (Japan) drive the global super absorbent polymers market growth. Other factors that fuel the market are increased focus of different nations on agricultural activities and rise in trend of compact diapers. Asia-Pacific dominates the market, in terms of volume & growth, due to massive demand and production in China, Japan, and Korea coupled with high developing rate of the market in India & other emerging countries of the region.

Continuous innovation in Super absorbent polymers results in generation of its bio-derived types and government activities for maintaining cleanliness by promoting use of disposable personal care products are projected to provide numerous opportunities for development of the global Super absorbent polymers market. Volatility in raw material prices leading to increase in price of super absorbent polymers and non-biodegradability of its synthetic species are projected to limit the growth of super absorbent polymers market.

Segment Review

Source: AMR Analysis

The global super absorbent polymers market is segmented based on type, application, production method, and geography. Based on type, the market is categorized into synthetic and natural, in which synthetic is subdivided into sodium polyacrylate, polyacrylamide copolymer, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer & others and natural is subdivided into polyvinyl alcohol, polysaccharides, polyitaconic acid, polypeptide, & others. As per application, the market is divided into personal care, healthcare, agriculture & horticulture, and others (automotive, construction, packaging, entertainment, industrial water, & more). Geographically, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Top Investment Pocket

Polysaccharide, a natural super absorbent polymer, is the most attractive type for investment in the market due to increase in focus of manufacturers on bio-based super absorbent polymers and growth in awareness among consumers. Polysaccharides are the least expensive and most abundant available renewable organic material.

Polypeptides are one of the major types of natural super absorbent polymers and is the second most lucrative market for new entrants. Its increasing demand in different applications due to its bio-based nature drives its expansion in the global super absorbent polymers market.

Porter’s Five Forces Analysis

The Super absorbent polymers market consists of its different types with the synthetic varieties occupying the maximum share of the market. Primarily, acrylic acid, its sodium or potassium salts, and acrylamide are used as raw materials for its industrial production. These facts indicate prevalence of moderate product differentiation in the industry leading to moderate switching cost. The presence of many domestic and international raw material suppliers lowers their bargaining power. The threat of forward integration from suppliers is moderate in the market. There are a few players who supply raw material and process it for end-use in the industry, such as BASF SE, Nippon Shokubai, and others. Thus, considering the above factors, the bargaining power of suppliers is moderate and is expected to remain as such during the forecast period.

Geography Review:

Global Super absorbent polymers Market, By Geography

Asia-Pacific leads the market, accounting for more than one-third of the global super absorbent polymers market share. This region is the major contributor to the super absorbent polymers market size in terms of value and volume, and is expected to retain its position ahead as well, owing to high growth rate of end-use industries. It is the fastest growing region too, with the highest CAGR, in terms of both value and volume. Furthermore, the market is analyzed on country level too.

South Africa accounted for 8.8% share of the LAMEA Super absorbent polymers market, with $74 million in 2015, and is expected to reach $102 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 4.7%.

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Super absorbent polymers have the ability to assimilate and hold liquids up to hundreds of times of their own weight even under pressure. They are also known as “super slurpers,” and they first appeared commercially in sanitary napkins during the seventies. These days, they are utilized all over the world in various commodities including diapers, incontinence products, gardening soil, fragrance carriers, and artificial snow. The market is expected to experience continuous growth during forecast period.

Contemporary super absorbent polymers constitute of those natural ingredients which bring about high performance to different applications in a safe & sustainable manner, such as polysaccharides, polypeptides, polyvinyl alcohol, polyitaconic acid, and others. Therefore, a shift towards bio-based super absorbent polymers is observed in the industry, owing to rigorous R&D and large number of patents published on it. Considering the rise in demand for natural super absorbent polymers, key industry players either plan or include it into their product portfolio. Synthetic super absorbent polymers constitute more than half of the market, but this trend is expected to decline steadily owing to its non-biodegradability subsequently leading to adverse environmental impacts.

Asia-Pacific is the leading region in the super absorbent polymer market, covering more than one-third of the market share, due to the significant stand of China, Japan, and Korea. In addition, the region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR owing to rapid development in above mentioned countries and emerging economies such as India. LAMEA region is also projected to have second highest CAGR due to rise in disposable income and growth in industrialization. Developed nations of North America and Europe have mature super absorbent polymers market growing with a decent CAGR.

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